The role of the chief information officer (CIO) and their team has never been more critical to growth and success.

Firms that have embraced digital platforms such as social media and big data have leapt forward and shaped pioneering ways of conducting business. Therefore, building up a solid relationship between the CIO and the rest of the C-Suite is now essential to achieving business growth.

Changing the perception of IT

The challenge today is that although organisations are starting to recognise the value of IT – and therefore the importance of the CIO and their team – businesses are still often operating in silos, with IT plugged in as an afterthought or a necessary tick box. We need to try and change this mind-set so that technology can add value across the entire organisation.

It’s a tough job though. Our research revealed that only 42% of UK organisations breed a culture where inter-departmental collaboration is actively encouraged. Secondly, the CIO is facing a board which is, understandably, less digitally literate. For example, many executives probably feel pretty tech savvy in their personal lives if they are using wearable devices or have the latest smartphone. However, consumer IT does not always equate with enterprise IT, with the latter playing a far more complex role within business.

In light of this, we commissioned Professor of Management, Joe Peppard from the European School of Management and Technology, to examine just how the CIO can raise their profile and indeed drive business growth rather than simply ‘keeping the lights on’. Acting like a business leader, networking, educating the wider management team on IT and showing flexibility and willingness to try new ideas are just some of the pieces of advice Joe outlines in his report.

By downloading the report on our website, you can read these, and other ideas from Joe, to help achieve closer business alignment.